Secrets

Chapter 1- Familiar Faces

I woke up looking up at my walls, my red and back walls. I sighed and rolled over as my door opened and my father looked in. "Up. You have to drive your brother to school." I nodded and waited till he left to pull myself out of bed. I walked to my closet pulling out my white leather jacket, black jeans and a white graphic t-shirt. I pulled my binder over my head, clipping it in place. Then pulling my clothes on. I grabbed my watch and sunglasses off the shelf beside and walked to the bathroom.

I walked outta the house, with my little brother Jaxon following closely behind. I smiled as he opened the door and climbed in sitting in his booster. Shut his door and got in the front seat. We backed out of the driveway and began down the road. I drove as if on auto pilot Jaxon was used to it. He didn't talk. Just leaned over the seat and kissed my forehead before jumping out the car and meeting his friends at school. I turned on my radio and let music pour through as I reached my school. I parked down the road in the parking lot of a store and began my walk to school lighting up a cigarette and inhaling the smoke. I walked into the school as the first bell rang making my way to class. I now keep all of my things in class because people kept breaking into my locker after my ex outted me as trans*. I walked into class and felt everyone watch me walk to my seat. I grabbed my book and binder off the shelf beside the teachers desk and walked to the seat at the very back. Class started and I drew the face of a boy I knew. His name was Matthew He was extremely timid and shy. Before I moved he was my best friend and kept me sane most of the time. I hadn't seem him in a while but I drew him as I remembered him. His big brown eyes and sharp jaw. I smiled softly and let my hand take over the pencil, drawing along with confident lines. "Tristan would you like to share to the class what you're drawing that is more important than learning?" My head shot up and made eye contact with the substitute teacher. I shook my head and set down my pencil as he walked forwards towards my desk. He grabbed the piece of paper off my desk and walked back up to the front looking at the drawing with wide eyes. "Can you tell me who this is?" he said holding the drawing up to the class. I heard faint whispers and felt everyone's eyes on me making me feel like I was in a spotlight. "No one has an answer for me?" he asked staring at me almost as if expecting me to talk. No, of course not he lives on the other side of the country sir. Why would anyone know him. I thought in my head. "Where did you learn to draw" he asked walking towards me setting the drawing onto the desk. "She doesn't talk" one kid yelled out. "She hasn't in forever now." I felt my blood boil as the kid purposely continued to misgender me to try and get a reaction. I stood up and walked over to the kid and watched as fear showed in his eyes. I towered over him grabbing him by the collar and picking him up to the tips of his toes. I grabbed the pencil off his desk and wrote HE in large bold letters on his page of notes. I dropped him and the pencil and proceeded to walk out of class grabbing my small folder of drawings off my desk on the way out.

I walked to my car and pulled out a pack of cigarettes from the dash. lighting one up I leaned back in the seat and inhaled the smoke. I felt my phone going off in my pocket and took it out.

Dad- Hey text me when you can I have some exciting news for you. :)

Me- What would you like father? lol

Dad- I just got a call from my boss. I'm being transferred to Halifax . :)

Me- Were getting away from these assholes? :0

Dad- Language but yes we are. We start packing tonight and well leave in three days and be there on Friday.

Me- Why so long? Why don't we just fly?

Dad- I thought we could go to Toronto and go a few places and stuff and ill take you to hot topic.

Me- Sounds great, I'm going home early. The substitute put me out in front of the whole class because I drew a picture.

Dad- well alright. I'll call and tell them you went home early and explain that were moving. I'll get the transcripts and paperwork for you and Jaxon.

Me- Where are we going to live?

Dad - With Alex

I groaned and threw the phone over to the other seat. Alex was my dads new girlfriend. She was nice and everything and she loved us but she doesn't know I'm transgender. Dad tried to bring  up the subject to her and she came off as slightly trans phobic. Dad says well have to wait a month or so to tell her and let her get used to having kids first. My phone went off twice more. I picked it up and unlocked it. One was from dad

Dad- Can you go pickup Jaxon. He just got in a fight with some kid and they gave him a two day suspension. Apparently he destroyed the kid as much as he could.

Me- He knew we were moving somehow and decided to beat the crap outta the kid that always bullies him lol.

the other message was from a unknown number saying hey. I ignored it and put out my cigarette driving to the elementary school to pick up Jaxon.

We drove home in silence like always. I left him in the living room drawing and I went upstairs to my room. I pulled out my clothes and went through them. I kept my nice dress shirts, my band shirts, my tight fitting shirts and my ripped jeans and the jeans that were a bit tighter. I threw them in a box along with my chest binders and any other clothing I needed. I grabbed my wallet off the shelf beside me and went through it  and came up with 400$ and a few gift cards. I put it in my pocket and slid a hat onto my head. I walked downstairs and motioned for Jaxon to come with me. He got up, grabbing his jacket and following me outside. I drove us to the mall and took him inside with me. I heard a crash and a whimper and turned around to see Jaxon holding his nose, sitting on the floor in front of a cart which an older woman was driving. I ran a hand through my hair and kneeled on the floor beside him. The fact that he was able to beat a kid senseless surprised me considering how accident prone he was. I moved his hand away and looked at his nose which was gently bleeding "Oh dear I'm so sorry." the woman said walking around the cart and kneeling beside us. She grabbed a small bag of Kleenex out of her purse and handed one to Jaxon. He held it to his nose and stood up. I put my hand on his shoulder as he apologized for running into her cart. Nodding quickly we walked away, heading towards the book store. I walked in and handed him a 20 and left him in the near the front of the store as I walked around to the back where they kept the drawing supplies at. I picked up a sketch book and a box of charcoal and began walking up to the front of the store. Jaxon ran up in front of me to the cashier and paid for his book.

We walked into the house just as dad pulled into the driveway. I walked upstairs and heard Jaxon explaining to him where we were and then dad telling him that we were leaving to live with Alex because of his job. my phone went off, ignoring it I picked up my laptop and sat at the desk logging onto an online chat room. There wasn't as many people as there usually was but I talked anyways, within ten minutes I had a private message pop up in the corner. His picture was of a cartoon dinosaur and his name seemed strangely familiar. Clicked on it anyways.

Jamie.A: Hey..